hiragana workbook

Modified SyllablesWhen a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable!. The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular charac

Table of Contents

Hiragana Charts 12

Stroke Order Practice 14

Learning Japanese Words in Hiragana 85

Practicing Double Consonants 131

Using Modified Syllables 133

Examples of Modified Syllables 139

Exceptions and a Little Grammar 142

Introduction 3

There are 3 types of Japanese characters: hiragana, katakana, and kanji The first two are called kana, and they are similar in that they are both sound-based characters.

In addition, there is rōmaji, which is Japanese that is written with the Latin alphabet You don’t really need to spend any time learning rōmaji, since you already know it.

Hiragana and katakana are the most simple and important characters to learn, which is why it is best to learn them first!

Japanese sentences often contain a mix

of hiragana, katakana, and kanji.

ひらがな

Hiragana is probably the most important form of writing that you will learn Hiragana is a syllabary, a sound-based form of writing Most hiragana are made up of 2 English letters, but one sound or syllable (e.g か ka, ま ma, な na).

Generally hiragana is used for particles and the ends of verbs and adjectives, while kanji

is used for stems of verbs and adjectives and nouns However, you can use hiragana to write anything in Japanese.

カタカナ

Katakana, similar to hiragana, is a syllabary Katakana is primarily used for words of foreign origin (words that come from English, Chinese, German, etc.).

However, this is not a hard rule There are other times when katakana is used, but 99%

of the time you see katakana, it will be for foreign words.

Japanese has a lot of foreign words, especially from English Most Japanese billboards and magazines are full of Katakana.

Kanji, the oldest form of Japanese writing, has its origin in China Unlike hiragana and katakana, kanji each carry a meaning with them rather than a sound.

There are usually multiple ways to read the same kanji, making it difficult for beginners However, sometimes one can guess the meaning

of the kanji based on its parts.

ローマ字

Rōmaji uses the Latin alphabet, making

it so that even people who haven’t learned hiragana, katakana, or kanji can read and write in Japanese.

However, only knowing rōmaji can be very limiting Rōmaji can be helpful when you are first starting out, but since Japanese people don’t really use it, it is important to learn how

to read and write hiragana and katakana.

ふりがな

Furigana (AKA rubi) is small hiragana that

is written above (for horizontal text) or next

to (for vertical text) kanji to indicate the pronunciation.

For people who know hiragana but do not know many kanji yet, furigana is a very helpful reading tool You can frequently see furigana

in children’s books and manga.

Pronunciation Guide

There only 5 vowel sounds in Japanese, and they are always pronounced the same way! In this way, Japanese pronunciation

is much easier than English!

Long Vowels

In this book, long vowels will be romanized

in the following ways

aa ii ū ee ei ō ō

ああ　いい　うう　ええ　えい　おお　おう

When two consonants are placed next

to each other (double consonants, e.g kk), there is a sort of pause before the consonant is pronounced The best way to master this is to listen and repeat.

Don’t forget to listen to the audio that is included in this book and repeat it out loud

to practice your pronunciation! Have fun!!

Pronunciation Guide

Tips on how to get the most

out of this workbook

1 Listen to the audio to hear pronunciation and practice saying it!

2 Print out and practice writing as many times as you want!

3 Look at the charts as much as you need to! Eventually, you will not need to look.

4 Expand your vocabulary as you learn to write!

5 がんばって！Ganbatte!! Do your best!

If you keep on trying you will remember! Have fun!!

The following hiragana are simply modifications of the hiragana listed in the first two figures They are pronounced as one syllable, and the や, ゆ, or よ is written smaller than normal.

Hiragana Chart 3: Modified Syllables

ya yu yo

k きゃ きゅ きょ

s しゃ sha しゅ shu しょ sho

c ちゃ cha ちゅ chu ちょ cho

あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ

あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ あ

ai

い い い い い い い い い い

い い い い い い い い い いi いるか

iruka

dolphin

え え え え え え え え え え

え え え え え え え え え えe えいが

eiga

movie

さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ

さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ さ

sa sakuraさくら

cherry blossom

へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ

へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ へ

room

ぎ ぎぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ

ぎ ぎぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ ぎ

milk

ざ ざ ざ ざ ざ ざ ざ ざ ざ

ざざ

zabuton

cushion

じ じ じ じ じ じ じ じ じ

じじ

jitensha

bicycle

ず ず ず ず ず ず ず ず ず

ずず

zu

すずめ

suzume

sparrow

ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ ぜ

ぜぜ

ze

ぜん

zen

zen

だ だ だ だ だ だ だ だ だ

だだ

dango

dango

で で で で で で で で で

でで

de

でんわ

denwa

telephone

ど ど ど ど ど ど ど ど ど

どど

do

どんぐり

donguri

acorns

し り

い

と う

な

na

ro

Double Consonants

Words that have double consonants are written with a small つ which indicates the short pause that

you take when pronouncing these words Take a look at the examples below and pay close attention to the difference in pronunciation.

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

ぎ ぎ ぎ

ゃ

ゃ

ゅ

ゅ ょ ょ

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

じ じ じ

ゃ

ゃ ゅ

ゅ ょ

ょ

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

に に に

ゃ

ゃ ゅ

ゅ

ょ ょ

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

び び び

ゃ

ゃ

ゅ

ゅ ょ ょ

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

み み み

ゃ

ゃ

ゅ

ゅ ょ ょ

Modified Syllables

When a hiragana has a small や、ゆ、or よ next to it, they are pronounced together as a single syllable The small や、ゆ、or よ are about a quarter the size of a regular character, and should be written in the lower left corner of the practice square.

rya

ryu

ryo

り り り

ゃ ゅ ょ

ょ

ょ ょ

ryū omocha gyūnyū byōki jisho

dragon toy

milk sick dictionary

Are wa tomodachi no kuruma desu.

That is my friend’s car.

Are wa tomodachi no kuruma desu.

That is my friend’s car.

answers

Suzuki san wa nihon e kaerimashita.

Mr./Ms Suzuki returned to Japan.

Ginkō (ginkou) e ittekimashita

I went to the bank.

へ is not always he

1 すずきさんはにほんへかえりました。

Suzuki san wa nihon e kaerimashita.

Mr./Ms Suzuki returned to Japan.

Ginkō (ginkou) e ittekimashita.

I went to the bank.

answers

　　　 お vs を

The hiragana を can be romanized as wo or o , but it is usually pronounced o Do not confuse を(o) with お(o) を is only used as

a particle in modern Japanese If you don’t know what a particle

is, or how this particle is used, please visit our website! We have

a lot of videos about Japanese particles!

Ringo o tabemasu.

I will eat an apple.

Practice: Write the correct hiragana for the sentences below Make sure you pay attention to particles!

Sōji (souji) o shimashita.

I did the cleaning.

5

Benkyō o shimashita.

I studied.

Sōji (souji) o shimashita.

I did the cleaning.

5 べんきょうをしました。

Benkyō o shimashita.

I studied.

answers

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